If the touch screen is busted, there's not much you can do. SOMETIMES printers will let you do initial setup via the computer where you install the driver software suite, set the settings, and when you connect it via USB, it passes the settings to the printer. That's the only thing I can think to try.

If the touch screen is busted, there's not much you can do. SOMETIMES printers will let you do initial setup via the computer where you install the driver software suite, set the settings, and when you connect it via USB, it passes the settings to the printer. That's the only thing I can think to try.

I'll just add: Can you connect to the web interface and update the firmware?

Thanks guys for trying to come to my rescue. @nadnerB I can get to my web interface, but when I go to web services tab states "To Enable Web Services, go to your printer screen, touch the icon and follow the instructions to complete the Web Services setup." Just another ploy to buy another printer. I rarely touch the touch screen. Maybe that's why it's trip'n cause I don't touch it enough and show affection. Grrrrr!
What if I disassemble it? Could it be a matter of a loose cable related to the screen?

@scottalanmiller this printer is about 4 yro. There's no warranty any more. Thank you @nadnerB. I'm going to take a look at that link now. Thank you guys so much for all of your efforts to help me out.

Now that I've been educated by my Guru and his peeps, I'm seriously considering the act of the video. LMBO!
Oh! And in case you would like to know the name of the group in this video...Ghetto Boys. lol!

My touchscreen lost functionality gradually over the second year of use. (HP Officejet 6500A). It's now 5 years old.

Also my USB printer cable broke years ago, which forced me us it as a network printer via ethernet cable, and scan using the HP Webscan page (http://10.0.0.x), where "x" is the last digit of the printer IP Address. (Check "Devices and Printers" to get this as mine changes dynamically)

This means I can use the printer / scanner option without needing to use the faulty touchpad.

If you are ever reset your printer (like me), and get stuck on "language selection" or something else where input from the touchpad is required, you can put it into "Store Display" mode by doing the following:

Switch off printer. Then hold down power button until green LED at bottom left lights up. You're now in a diagnostic mode.

I tried doing all resets (semi,partial, out of box, full), but they all led me back to language selection (which I couldn't select due to faulty touchpad), hence my Officejet was useless at this point.

Then I tried MFG which allowed me to (somehow) get it into "Store Display" mode or something alike when it restarted. This defaulted the language to English and hey presto, I can print and scan again using the network with the touchscreen stuck on something or the other. But it works!

I hope this helps you, I can milk some further use out of this printer/ scanner yet!